Portrait of Porter Hall

Porter Hall

Acting

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Clifford Porter Hall (September 19, 1888 – October 6, 1953) was an American character actor known for appearing in a number of films in the 1930s and 1940s. Hall played movie villains or comedic incompetent characters. Hall was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and began his career touring as a stage actor with roles in productions of The Great Gatsby and Naked in 1926. Hall made his film debut in the 1931 drama Secrets of a Secretary. He made his last onscreen appearance in the 1954 film Return to Treasure Island, which was released after his death. He was probably best remembered for four roles: a senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, an atheist in Going My Way, the nervous, ill-tempered Granville Sawyer, who administers a psychological test to Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, and a train passenger who encounters a man (Fred MacMurray) who has just committed a murder in Double Indemnity. On October 6, 1953, Hall died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California at the age of 65. His interment was at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery. Hall had two children, David and Sarah Jane.

Born: September 18, 1888

Place of Birth: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Filmography

1954
Return to Treasure Island

as Maximillian 'Maxie' Harris

1953
Vice Squad

as Jack Hartrampf

1953
Pony Express

as Jim Bridger

1952
The Half-Breed

as Kraemer

1952
Carbine Williams

as Sam Markley

1951
Ace in the Hole

as Jacob Q. Boot

1949
1949
1948
That Wonderful Urge

as Attorney Ketchell

1948
1947
Unconquered

as Leach

1947
Singapore

as Mr. Bellows

1947
Miracle on 34th Street

as Granville Sawyer

1945
Kiss and Tell

as Bill Franklin

1945
Murder, He Says

as Mr. Johnson

1945
Blood on the Sun

as Arthur Bickett

1945
Bring on the Girls

as Dr. Efrington

1944
1944
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek

as Jacob Woodson, Justice of the Peace

1944
The Great Moment

as President Franklin Pierce

1944
Double Indemnity

as Mr. Jackson

1944
Standing Room Only

as Hugo Farenhall

1944
Going My Way

as Mr. Belknap

1943
The Woman of the Town

as Mayor Dog Killey

1943
The Desperadoes

as Banker Clanton

1943
A Stranger in Town

as Judge Austin Harkley

1942
Butch Minds the Baby

as Brandy Smith

1942
The Remarkable Andrew

as Chief Clerk Art Slocumb

1942
Mr. and Mrs. North

as George Heyler

1941
Sullivan's Travels

as Mr. Hadrian

1941
The Parson of Panamint

as Jonathan Randall

1940
Arizona

as Lazarus Ward

1940
Trail of the Vigilantes

as Sheriff Korley

1940
Dark Command

as Angus McCloud

1940
1939
Henry Goes Arizona

as Banker Edward G. Walsh (uncredited)

1939
1939
1939
Grand Jury Secrets

as Anthony Pelton

1939
Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police

as Man in Drummond's Dream

1938
Tom Sawyer, Detective

as Uncle Silas Phelps

1938
The Arkansas Traveler

as Mayor Daniels

1938
King of Alcatraz

as Matthew Talbot

1938
Men with Wings

as Hiram F. Jenkins

1938
Prison Farm

as Chiston R. Bradby

1938
Stolen Heaven

as 'Von' Offer

1938
1938
Dangerous to Know

as Mayor Bradley

1938
Scandal Street

as James Wilson

1937
Wells Fargo

as James Oliver

1937
True Confession

as Mr. Hartman

1937
This Way Please

as S.J. Crawford

1937
Souls at Sea

as Court Prosecutor

1937
Wild Money

as Bill Court

1937
Make Way for Tomorrow

as Harvey Chase

1937
King of Gamblers

as George Kramer

1937
Bulldog Drummond Escapes

as Norman Merridew

1936
1936
The Plainsman

as Jack McCall

1936
1936
Satan Met a Lady

as Milton Ames

1936
And Sudden Death

as District Attorney

1936
Snowed Under

as Arthur Layton

1936
Too Many Parents

as Mrs. Saunders

1936
1936
The Petrified Forest

as Jason Maple

1935
1934
1934
The Thin Man

as Herbert MacCaulay

1931
The Cheat

as Leslie (uncredited)

    Porter Hall - Filmography | 321movies